Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers roll to the brink of another NL West title

LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw was brilliant through seven scoreless innings and the Dodgers offense was on fire in a 14-1 win over the Rockies on Saturday night, clinching at least a tie for the National League West.

The Giants beat the Padres 9-6 in 10 innings, so now the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the division is down to just one.

This assures that at the very least the Dodgers will play beyond Sunday, Oct. 2, either by eventually clinching the division or forced to play a one-game tiebreaker against the Giants.

Justin Turner had a pair of RBI singles among his three hits, including one in the second inning. Turner also walked twice and tied a career high by reaching base five times.

That frame saw the Dodgers score four times, including a two-run single by Joc Pederson.

Pederson also walked twice on the night, giving him seven walks in three games in this series, and was hit by a pitch.

That four-run inning was more than enough for Kershaw, and also the first time in four starts since his return from the disabled list that the Dodgers scored any runs while he was in the game.

Kershaw allowed just three hits in his seven innings, two singles by Nolan Arenado, and a one-out double by Stephen Cardullo in the fifth. All three were stranded.

With six strikeouts and no walks on the night Kershaw has 23 strikeouts against only one walk since his return from the disabled list, and a 0.86 ERA in those four starts.

Kershaw this season at home is 8-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 10 starts, tied with Orel Hershiser (1985) for the third-lowest home ERA in a season at Dodger Stadium with a minimum of 10 starts.

The Dodgers just kept scoring, adding runs in the fifth, and sixth innings, then unloading with a six-run seventh to pad the lead. Josh Reddick hit a grand slam, his second home run as a Dodger and third hit of the night, to cap the Dodgers’ scoring.

It was the Dodgers seventh grand slam of the season.

Up next

The Dodgers go for the sweep on Sunday, and the chance to clinch the division themselves without needing any outside help. Brandon McCarthy gets the start for the Dodgers, his first time on a major league mound since Aug. 13. The Dodgers will get a third chance to try and solve Rockies rookie left-hander Tyler Anderson, who has allowed just two runs in two starts and 13⅓ innings against LA.

Saturday particulars

Home runs: Josh Reddick (10); Pat Valaika (1)

WP - Clayton Kershaw (12-3): 7 IP, 3 hits, 6 strikeouts

LP - Chad Bettis (13-8): 4⅔ IP, 8 hits, 7 runs (5 earned runs), 4 walks, 3 strikeouts